lingusian_bestiaryCnC

Bestiary of the Fiendish and Unfriendly in Lingusia The Castles & Crusades Edition copyright 2005 by Tori Bergquist

The following are a few beasts which have sprung forth from my continuing fantasy campaign, the Keepers of Lingusia. I have maintained all flavor text and content as is, and you are welcome to extrapolate these beasts from such in to your own campaigns. Most of these beasts started their lives as bizarre creations in my old AD&D and T&T games, many, many years ago. A few appeared in solo adventures I wrote, and still others are more recent creations. This version provides C&C adaptations to each one. Enjoy!

Agammite Trolls

(Followers of Agammon) # ENC: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS:

5-12 7 (Dd8) 30 ft 18 2 claws (1d6), bite (2d8), weapon SPECIAL: Darkvision 60 ft, Rend, Paralysis SAVES: P INT: low to average ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil TYPE: undead (humanoid) TREASURE: 8 XP: 540+7 Paralysis: The agammites have the paralyzing touch of the undead. A foe that takes any damage from a claw or bite attack must make a Constitution Save or be paralyzed for 1d6+1 rounds. Regeneration 1: The trollish blood of the agammites grant them exceptional recovery from damage, but slightly diluted due to their mixed blood. . They do not recover damage from fire, acid or holy damage. Habitat: In the filthiest sewers, dankest tombs and dungeons, and anywhere corruption from chaos runs wild. Organization: Small cult-like groups of 5-12 that cluster together to scheme and commit evil acts. Treasure: Most agammites have at least one useful magic item, be it a potion, ring or piece of armor. Description: The Followers of Agammon are a truly repulsive cult of necrophiles and chaos worshippers who began their practices in Hoggoth but were eventually cast out for their heinous acts. Originally, these dissident troll lords followed the ancient Troll King Agammon, who was one of the worst of the great and bloody troll kings of old. Said to have demon blood within their veins, these dreadful cultists bred with humans who were sacrificed to the

unknown gods of darkness the trolls worship, and then resurrected as ghouls. Kept in vast mating pits, the cultists were required to drag the living dead to their knees and mate with them. The cult was Abolished later on when the Troll Queen Invidia gained control, but the magically created children birthed of trolls impregnating undead wombs spawned terrible outcasts, called the bael. The bael were driven away, seen as lepers on troll society, no longer pure and unable to breed like normal trolls in the Mixing Pits. Hiding in whatever corners of the land they could without being discovered, some few survivors came to the ruins of Clastus and were offered refuge by the Cults of Nihilists that dwelled there. To pro mote their racial stock, they would raid orc and hobgoblin lairs in the north, and came to discover the ancient dolmen of a forgotten Sorcerer King, which they exploited as well. The interbreeding with goblinoids made them even more repulsive. Now, the ancient Followers of Agammon are a plague on all living things, as they continue their dark practices and unquestioningly serve the Nameless One and the Nihilists.

Ashtarth

(Dark Elves) # ENC: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS:

2-12, 50-100 1 (D8) 30 ft 15 weapon (scimitar, whip, spear, trident and daggers are common) SPECIAL: elven traits, Drow traits SAVES: M,P INT: average ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil TYPE: humanoid TREASURE: 2 XP: 11+1 Ashtarth nare a variant of Drow, unique to the world of Lingusia. They have the characteristics of Drow, with the following additional details: Spell Abilities: All ashtarth have innate spell-like abilities, even their warriors. While the typical abilities of ashtarth can be found under the Drow Elf description in the Monsters & Treasures book, not all ashtarth share the same abilities. A CK may let a player substitute a spell like ability of equivalent level in place of one of the existing abilities. Darkvision: Ashtarth can see in total darkness with no penalties. They use a form of infravision, so methods of disguising heat can still fool them. Ashtarth are sensitive to light, and are blinded for one combat round by any sudden daylight-equivalent effects (spell or unexpected exposure). They lose all personal combat adds for the first round of exposure, and regain only half their adds while in the offending light thereafter until they return to cover of darkness. Ashtarth who spend a long period of time on the

surface in daylight may qualify for the “Daywalker” talent, below. Habitat: The ashtarth are lords of the Under Realm, the dark and cast expanse of cavernous domains beneath the earth of Lingusia. Their capitol is the subterranean city of Dahik, in the center of the Hyrkanian Desert. Organization: The ashtarth are an organized feudal matriarchy, with the women dominating politics and the men dominating war. Most wizards of the ashtarth are women who belong to the Black Circle, and they rule with an iron fist. Treasure: Ashtarth crave treasure, but only the more powerful members of the species will have it. Description: The Ashtarth are the dark elves, the Dock-Alfar of Lingusia, corrupted from their Silver Elf kin long ago by the minions of Chaos, they were forever marked with their coal black skin cast out of the elvish community. Ashtarth society is a cruel mimicry of Silver Elf society, with houses of rule and advancement through might and stealth. In the ancient annals of elvish lore, the Ashtarth were members of House Shilnavilin, the House of Betrayal as it eventually came to be known, for in ancient times, its most prevalent members betrayed the Kingdom of the Elves by swearing fealty to Dalroth and the Courts of Chaos. By choosing the worship of the Demon Gods, the Ashtarth cast away their tether to the Weirding Way and were branded with darkness forever more. A war between elves erupted, and they were cast out of the elvish realms, destined to wander the world for new homes. Some Ashtarth traveled to the distant Northlands and settled there, to be called Dock-Alfar. Some traveled to the east, and a handful of them even settled deep in the Amechian lands, to pursue a means of redressing their sins against Selene. But most settled in the Kingdom of Dahik, and established their own Order of Houses, to pursue the will of the Demon Gods. Ashtarth are always of coal black skin, save for a few white skinned albinos who are born once every few generations. Women are prized for their sorcerous superiority and divinatory powers, while the men are disdained as warriors and laborers to be lorded over. Much like the dark elves of other worlds, Ashtarth are matriarchal. Ashtarth are physically very tall, from 6 to almost 7 feet in height, due to their heritage of once having been Silver Elves. Their opal eyes are usually black, red, and occasionally white. Their hair is usually white or gray, and occasionally black or fiery red. The Ashtarth, who only nominally maintain relations with the Hyshkorrid, and some deviant chaos-kin orc tribes, goblinoids, and easy slave species, reviles most all species. They are at odds with all surface dwellers, seek to annihilate their fair

skinned kin, and have shaky alliances with the Southern Hyrkanians. In the north, they are natural enemies of the Kythians and Zarnians. Only the neutral and reserved I'Cathor House of the Amechian Conclave seeks solitude and escape from war and destruction. Ashtarth revere Dalroth and his Courts of Chaos whether they like it or not. Most recently, in the Hyrkanian Desert City of Trog, Lord Xauraun Vestillios the immortal ascended to divinity, and has taken the reigns of the Courts of Chaos, dragging their power under his sway. Pale, the unholy child of chaos, which is in fact, the recuperating Dalroth, was crushed in to a crippling jester by Xauraun, and serves as his puppet. This has led to a great upheaval among the Ashtarth houses, which are receiving too many contradictory messages from their evil deities. Some of the Demon Gods most favored by the Ashtarth include The Spider Goddess, Orcus, Pazzuzzu, Koschtie, Belphegor, Avarath, Yeenoghu, Lilith, Demogorgon, Tragonamos, Kalakan, and Piscrael. Slithotep, the Mad God, is also worshipped as is Haro, Lord of Assassins. Ashtarth learn the Ashtarth tongue, their House’s Cant (the secret language of their house), the Sign language of the Dark Elves, and either elvish or the Middle Tongue. The dark elves like brutal names, with rough sounding qualities to them. all Ashtarth must belong to a house. The major family houses are listed below, or you can belong to a different lesser house. The northern Dock-Alfar do not group by houses, but by clans. many Ashtarth come from a union between two houses or clans, and so carry both names in hyphenated form (I'Cathor-Stromm, for example) with the mother's house first. House Names: Stromm, Kaliban, I’Cathor, Grannen, Urdanne, Grenedan, Venetor, Baal'rammen, Plagistren, Vehedemeer, Korlaas. Male: Charnel, Flavios, Daros, Kabel, Varkol, Krael, Lovador, Sherzade. Female: Synestra, Deviris, Paniseth, Vitrea, Kalieth, Sibrien, Pinetteras, Calyspel. Ashtarth who are evil and seeking to further the will of their family or the secret order of the Black Circle are always prone to have cause to adventure. The rare Ashtarth who is good in nature is an adventurer by necessity, struggling to survive in a world that will give him no quarter while escaping a vengeful people. Often, good Ashtarth seek a quasimythical means of redeeming their people, or themselves Males ashtarth are second-class citizens, good for cannon-fodder, slave labor and concubines in the eyes of the ruling matriarchy. As such, all male ashtarth suffer a – 4 Cha modifier when interacting

with ashtarth women. This penalty fades in ashtarth communities where the men are considered emancipated (such as among the eastern Amechian enclaves). The Daywalker Talent (Con) An ashtarth who has spent more than three months continuously in the outdoors functioning in the daylight and adjusting his vision develops a resistance to the harsh effects of open light on his eyes. When he is in daylight and needs to fight, he can make a Con Save if it is full daylight (with a +2 bonus if it is artificial light or partly cloudy). If he makes it, then he fights unimpaired. If he fails, he is surprised and gets a –2 penalty to hit for the first round of battle, then adjusts normally for the second round. CKs may award this talent to Ashtarth PCs who meet the requirements for it over time.

Barrow Wights of Lingusia See M&T “Wight” entry for statistics. Habitats: The Slithotendan Mountains, the Ruins of Hoggoth, The barrow-mounds of Hettanar and Zarn, and the temple-pyramids of Old Galon are popular places to find these rare and dangerous guardians. Organization: none; 2-4 usually found in task of guarding an old necromancer’s tomb, or 1 solitary barrow wight in its own tomb, usually accompanied by other lesser undead. Treasure: Vengeful lords and kings from ancient times tend to have lots of fabulous treasure lying around. Typical lords of old held 2d6x1000 GP in valuables, such as golden chariots, bronze sculptures of soldiers and horses (these were sometimes enchanted to animate as guardians, too!) and ornamental jewelry and goods, often worn by the barrow wight itself. Description: In the ancient his tory of Hyrkania, many of the old kings of the pre empire days would bury their dead in huge mounds, with rock tombs beneath. Within these catacombs would go the line of their family, and for generations the dead would be buried like so. These ancient mound lands were, alas, ripe for the time of the War of the Gods, and when the power of the Chaos Lords spread through the land, many necromancer kings who rose in the time of conflict saw to it that their tombs were guarded, often by the reanimated remains of these earlier kings. Such disrespect was common then, for the early followers of chaos. Eventually, after the War of the Gods, this practice ended when cremation replaced inhumation as a burial practice. The barrow wights, then, are marked by the ancient nature of their curse, as well as their single-minded dedication to the protection of their tombs. Sometimes appearing as mystical spirits, and at other times appearing as animated, reinvigorated corpses with magical abilities, they are all known to have the power to steal one's very soul as a common ability. The barrow wights are particular to Hyrkania, and beyond the Empire, are rarely seen elsewhere until you get north, to Autrengard, where it is possible to find much more recent examples of this same practice among the jarldoms. The lords and kings themselves are said to have arisen, willfully, from the grave to jealously guard the treasure hordes they buried themselves with. These barrow wights are often in command of a number of animated skeletons, produced from the entourage of slain soldiers, wives and other kin who were put to death along with their king or lord. The barrow wights did, indeed believe that you could take it all with you!

Black Shamblers

(Denizens of Canopis) # ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS: SPECIAL:

4-8, 30-50 8 (D10) 20 ft 19 two fists (1d8) engulf, regeneration 3, resistance (weapons do half damage) SAVES: P INT: low ALIGNMENT: neutral evil TYPE: aberration TREASURE: 3, 6 XP: 700+8 Engulf: Black shamblers can ma ke an engulfing suffocation attack, which targets one person. If the shambler strikes a target with both fists, that foe must make a Strength Save to break free or become immobilized immediately, as well as take 1d6 points of Constitution damage each round due to suffocation and fatigue. A character who reaches 0 Con suffocates and dies. The engulfed adventurer can attempt another Strength save each round to escape. Regeneration: The black shambler recovers 2 hit points of damage per round. Fire and cold-based attacks are not regenerated. If a Shambler is reduced to negative hit points and then chopped in to very tiny pieces and scattered everywhere, it will not regenerate…..for a looooong time. But it will one day…heh heh. Kinetic Resistance: All damage fro m standard weaponry that hits the black shambler for damage is reduced by one half (round up). Thus, if the black shambler takes 25 points of damage in one round, it only receives 13 hits. Habitat: In coastal cities where the Guild of the Spheres makes its presence known, or in the distant regions of Etherspace. Organization: In their native land the black shamblers cluster in tribal groups of 30 or more, but in the service of the Guild of the Spheres they are organized in to mafia-esque hit squads of 4 to 8. Treasure: Black shamblers prize simple objects, but they are indiscriminate with regards to value, and their keepers often take anything of worth from them. Description: These beings are huge, averaging seven to nine feet in height, and are like great ebony warriors, covered in ichorous black tar that never stops running. They have barely visible humanoid features, and are silent, emotionless, and highly obedient. The Guild of the Spheres (a guild of slavers

and smugglers) in Capitol Octzel are known to employ them as thugs, and on rare occasions, in places such as Naminthia, they have also been spotted. The Black Shamblers are in fact ancient travelers through the Etherspace, heralding from a distant world called Canopis, that composes part of the stellar constellation of Set. They are native to an ancient world which exists in a murky, eternal twilight, and certain mages have learned to cull a special plant to produce a substance called the Black Bane which makes them submissive to the wills of the pois oner. As such, they are captured for use as thugs and shock troops. The Black Shamblers are vicious opponents, with a startling resistance to most kinetic weaponry, amazing regeneration, and the ability to hold and engulf an opponent in their tar-like bodies, suffocating them. In spite of what they seem to be made of, they do not burn at all, and only cold in known to slow or stop them. If enough physical damage is applied and they are spread out sufficiently, they might not be able to draw themselves back together for weeks or even months. If parts of their body are permanently separated, then this can physically impair or even kill them.

The Black Bane potion Exceedingly rare, cultivated from an alien plant of unknown origin, the Black Bane is a thick, ichorous substance that tastes a bit like caramel syrup. Its effects are immediate and binding, as the user must make a Con Save at -4 or become enthralled by the substance and the one who fed it to him. The effect is much like a Charm Person spell, except that the sufferer of the bane can only break free by making a Wis Save at -4, which can only be performed once per week, or when the substance is offered. The Black Bane must be taken each week to insure it remains strong. If a week goes without the substance, the victim must make a Con Save or take 1d8 damage. This happens every week until the victim dies or he makes three successful Con checks, at which time he is free of the binding hold on his mind and he develops a murderous desire for revenge against the one who drugged him. Those under thrall of the Black Bane move like zombies, with one half normal speed, but they feel no pain and become inhumanly strong, adding 4 to their Str score. In combat, they can fight until they reach -10 Hit Points without passing out, before suddenly dying. The controller, the one who fed the substance (it is always the case that the one who gave the substance to the victim becomes he controller) has near-total control over the subject, though the subject can resist

any command on a Int Save at -2 if he so desires. Success leads to total immobility of the victim until a different command is given.

Daggerdamerung (Hounds of Limbo)

# ENC.: 6-12, 12-24 HD: 4 (d8) MOVE: 40 ft AC: 16 ATTACKS: bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d4) SPECIAL: petrifying howl, planar travel SAVES: P INT: low ALIGNMENT: chaotic neutral TYPE: outsider TREASURE: none XP: 110+4 Petrifying Howl: Once every 2d4 rounds, the daggerdamerung will let loose a terrible wail which requires everyone nearby to make a save vs. petrification. Those who fail suffering a petrifying fear which causes them to either (roll 1d6:) flee (1-3), stand still in terror (4-5) or go stark raving mad (6). The effect lasts 1d6 minutes, except for the madness, which lasts for 1d6 hours and requires an Intelligence Save to recover from. Each failure adds 1d6 hours to the effect. The madness is a CK choice, but should render the hapless PC useless! Planar Travel: Daggerdamerung may return to Limbo after being summoned, but not for at least one hour from the time they are summoned. They can only be summoned by the “Dogs of Limbo” spell, below. Anyone who is bitten on the round the dog gates out has a 40% chance of being dragged back to Limbo with the beast… Habitat: Beings from limbo, they appear only when summoned. The Hotepsalan wizard-lords favor these beasts and have mastered the art of summoning them. Organization: Daggerdamerung almost always travel in packs of 6 or more, and the huge ones are usually accompanied by 5-6 smaller ones. Treasure: Daggerdamerung desire no treasure, but a skilled wizard or specialist in alchemy knows of the value of the beast’s body parts, from which 1d6x100 GP worth of useful materials can be exhumed. Description: Somewhere in the astral domains between the sundry planar realms of the True World, the Daggerdamerung roam in great and unrelenting packs, bursting free from the plane of Limbo to seek out the material world. Some claim they are the product of the dreaming dead gods which swirl in the maddening vortices of Limbo, and others think they

are created by some equally sinister, less cosmic force with specific goals in mind when they are created. Some wizards can master the beasts, which are twisted quadrupeds with great snaggle-toothed maws and a pretense toward extreme violence. They are absent of skin, and appear to be magically twisted bundles of muscle and bone held together as if by magic. They can perform a petrifying howl that freezes even the most fearless being.

Devonin

(The Demons of Lingusia) # ENC.: HD:

MOVE: AC:

ATTACKS:

SPECIAL:

SAVES:

1-4, 10-100 (D8): 2 (slave), 4 (warrior), 6 (greater warrior), 8 (baron), 10 (lord), 12 (general), 14+ (high lord) 30 ft or 60 ft flying 13 (slave), 16 (warrior), 18 (greater warrior), 20 (baron), 21 (lord), 23 (general), 25 (high lord) 2-8 claws (1d4), 1-4 bites (1d6), by weapon; barons and greater always have magic weapons. infernal damage; immune to two of: fire, acid, electrical, or cold (pick 2); spell resistance (3+HD); darkvision 60 feet; resistance (attacks); planar gating; magic use; and one of the following: flight, burrowing, teleport, or incorporeality; invisibility effects (baron and greater). P, M

INT:

low (slaves, warriors), average (greater warriors, barons), high (lords, generals), genius (high lords) ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil TYPE: outsider TREASURE: 1 (slaves), 3 (warriors), 5 (greater warriors), 7 (barons), 9 (lords), 11 (generals), 13+ (high lords) XP: 60+2 (slaves), 280+4 (warrior), 810+6 (greater warrior), 2025+8 (barons), 4200+10 (lord), 6775+12 (general), 11,450+14 (high lord) Infernal Damage: The devonin are infernal beings, and their barehanded attacks can cause searing pain. Anyone hit by their claw attacks must make a Con Save or suffer a – 1 modifier to all attacks and saves due to the pain for 1d10 rounds. This is not cumulative. Darkvision 60 feet: All devonin can see in total darkness, and often prefer it. Immunities: All devonin are immune to two of the following effects: cold, fire, electrical or acid damage. High Lords might be immune to all four! Spell Resistance: The devonin are particularly resistant to magic, though it is suspected that they actually absorb it. A Devonin’s SR is equal to 3 plus the number of HD they have. Resistance (attacks): Devonin have magically tough skin and take half damage from all nonmagical weapons. Planar Gating: All Devonin may gate themselves to and from the Abyss at will unless bound by magic or soul gem to a wizard on the mortal plane. Magic Use: All devonin except slaves have wizard abilities of a level equivalent to their hit dice. They know a number of spells equal to twice their wizard level. Special Movement: Each devonin gains one special movement form: flight (wings), burrowing (bores through the earth like a worm at normal speed), teleportation (as the spell, at will), or incorporeality (movement through the ethereal like a ghost). Summoning: Devonin must be summoned to the mortal plane by magic, they normally cannot go there on their own. Invisibility effects: Powerful devonin (of baron level or greater) can detect invisibility and turn invisible at will. Habitat: the infernal realm of the Abyss. This realm is a nine-layered, concave pit, the sort of place Dante liked to visit. Each layer is progressively more horrifying and maddening, and the necropolis and

fortresses of the demonic hordes litter the blasted lands of the Abyss. There are a few gateways to the Abyss found in Lingusia, and many spells which activate portals to and from this plane of Chaos. Organization: The organization of the devonin is quasi-feudal and ever-changing. The only safe rule is Might Makes Right. Usually, only one such being is encountered, but on occasion a misguided cabal of wizards can summon dozens, or even (as with the War of Strife) thousands. Treasure: Lesser devonin rarely have treasure. Greater devonin always have treasure, usually hoarded and well protected in some planar region of the Abyss, or similarly hostile plane. Barons and greater always have magical items, in the form of jewelry, garments, or weapons and armor to aid them. Such items are also often cursed such that nondevonin will be horridly corrupted by such items. Description: The Devonin are the demonic entities which either sided with or were forged to follow the Lords of Chaos. These demonic beings have been classified in a bizarre array of creeping, crawling beings, and all are to be found in tales of legend. Devonin are specifically those beings which are known to reside within the Abyssal Layers, both the nine inner layers and the outer fluctuating layers. The Devonin are structured into a strict regimented hierarchy which guarantees that the strong will dominate the weak, and that the ownership of beings will be the most fundamental level of power in barter. Devonin are sub-defined into one of three power levels, with two unofficial power levels capping off either end. Unofficially, at the bottom of the heap are the nameless souls which have been brought forth into the Abyss and divvied out among the Hellish Kingdoms. These souls, usually known as serflings, Shadows, Phantoms, or tortured ghosts are the breeding stock of the new Devonin. These souls are either followers of Chaos who willingly entered into the Abyssal Realms through their worship, or who were captured in a raid on the Land of the Dead or a Celestial Kingdom. The first official layer are the Armies of Darkness, of which the bulk of the Devonin are composed. These are the lowest order of troops used to resolve conflict between the Celestial Kingdoms and the Abyssal Realms. These warriors are usually culled from the emanations of the Lords of Chaos, or drawn from the countless captured souls of the Abyssal Kingdoms. The Second layer of the hierarchy is the aristocracy, an ensemble of the Generals and Commanders of these armies. More than just military lords, these are the various lesser nobles, accountants, record keepers, and even merchants of the Abyssal Kingdoms. All are the truly potent slave owners who

have managed to elevate themselves above the swarthy masses. The strongest among these are the lordlings, who hold control of one or more of the legions of their particular Demon Lord. The third layer of the hierarchy is the upper layer of the Lords of the Abyss. These are the highest order of the ranks, the Demon Lords of which legends are spoken. They are competing to gain greater favor and elevate themselves into the domain of the Lords of Chaos. They are also the definitive rulers of the Abyssal Kingdoms. The Lords of Chaos themselves are the enigmatic unofficial fifth layer of the hierarchy that is characterized by the demon lords of legend, who have become almost omniscient and joined the ranks of the gods who serve Chaos. Some of these gods are ones who began as Demon Lords, like Ravanos or Belphegor, but others were born as gods, and these include Slithotep, Dalroth, Baragnagor, and Cha'Sho.

Giant lizards

large loads. The therapods are usually more docile and herbivorous.

# ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS:

Hagarant Lords

(Sauropods and Therapods) 2-12, 20-50 3 (D10) 60 ft 15 bite (1d6) and claws (1d4) or trample (1d10) SPECIAL: Swallow SAVES: P INT: animal ALIGNMENT: neutral TYPE: animal TREASURE: 1 XP: 45+3 Swallow. A giant lizard that makes a bite attack also attempts to swallow a target. The hapless foe must make a Stength Save or be consumed, taking 1d4 damage immediately and each round thereafter until he cuts his way out (acid resistance affects half of this damage); he must do one half of the creature’s HPs in hits to escape, but each round after the first he is trapped inside he must make a Con Save to remain conscious and not pass out from inhaling digestive fumes. If this happens, then game over! Habitat: Throughout the deserts of Lingusia, especially in the Ny’Koddin Wastes and Galvonar. Organization: Feral giant lizards move in packs across desert plains, usually in groups of twenty to fifty. Treasure: Stalwart adventurers who slice open the gullet of a giant lizard might find a handful of semi precious stones in its craw and other odds and ends that didn’t digest well. Description: The Giant Lizards of Lingusia are many and varied. Some are small in stature compared to others, being no more than great Komodo dragons, and others are immense, reaching thirty to fifty feet in length, such as the Riding Beasts of the Karaktuan lands. All are potentially deadly carnivores unless trained as riding beasts. These beasts were said to have been created for the use of the Lizard Men who owe their heritage to Set. Others claim that they were long ago bred magically for the Lizard Men for special purposes, including herding and riding. They have been around so long now, however, that the question of their origins may never be known. There are two common varieties of giant lizard: the sauropods are bipedal, tyrannosaur-like creatures, and are most common to Amech and Karaktu. They are almost universally carnivorous and make excellent war beasts. The therapods are often much larger but are four-legged beasts, slower and better at hauling

# ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS:

1-10 8 (D12) 30 ft 18 claws (1d6+energy drain) or by weapon SPECIAL: wizardy, energy draining, darkvision, detect invisible, incorporeality SAVES: P, M INT: superior ALIGNMENT: any evil TYPE: undead TREASURE: 9 XP: 1,175+8 Wizardry: All Hagarant Lords are wizards of a level equal to their hit dice, with three times their level in spells. This would make the default Hagarant (above) an 8th level mage. More powerful Hagarant Lords exist, supposedly… Energy Draining: Hagarant Lords drain energy with a touch, draining one level with each successful strike (only one level is drained per combat round, even if the same Hagarant strikes with both claws, but two Hagarant Lords hitting the same target will drain two levels). Darkvision 120 feet: Hagarant have amazing darkvision. Detect Invisible: Hagarant Lords can detect invisible beings and objects automatically. Incorporeality: The Hagarant Lords are able to become spectral at will, an action which takes one full round. They may return to the mortal plane, becoming corporeal, as well. While incorporeal, only magical attacks will harm them. The Hagarant Lords are an ancient evil which some say has its roots beneath the capitol of Octzel. The Hagarant Lords were a coven of nobles and powerful mages who swore fealty to the mad god Slithotep in exchange for immortality. The unexpected result of their immortality was a slow descent in to madness and undeath. The desire of Slithotep was that the Hagarant Lords raze the human city they once called home and convert all of its citizens to his cult or slay them. The Hagarant Lords attempted their rebellion, but were foiled by the actions of the Royal Guard and a special order for goodness called the Protectorate. Seven centuries later, it is said that the surviving Hagarant Lords have been reawakened by minions of

the vampiric cult, the Black Society, to finish their task…. Sample Hagarant: Veregnar Gonn Dalpuris HP: 51; statistics as per standard Hagarant. Equipment: A Ring of Shooting Stars, three elixirs of life extension (1d100 years each); talisman of chaos (summons 2d4 devonin warriors once per week for one hour). Veregnar Gonn Dalpuris was a powerful duke seven centuries ago who had an unfortunate habit of taking on mistresses behind his wife’s back. He was seduced by a woman named Melantha, who was in fact a member of the Black Society in Octzel, a vampires and half-demon who lured him in to the study of the dark arts of chaos and the worship of Slithotep, the mad god. Veregnar was swayed by this cult and joined the movement, becoming a potent wizard. In time, their plot was foiled and he was one of the few survivors, who stole away and hid in a tomb -like secret enclave in the city sewers, where he went undiscovered in an undead slumber until the present, when hapless sewerworkers stumbled on his tomb and awoke the mad being. Veregnar now seeks out the still surviving, much more ancient Melantha to aid him in fulfilling his destiny, to convert the city of Octzel to the will of Slithotep…..or destroy it!

Hyshkorrid (Mind Flayer Variant) # ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS: SPECIAL: SAVES: INT:

1-6 8 (D8) 30 ft 15 maw bite (1d4+special) or by weapon mental powers, mental blast P, M superior

ALIGNMENT: lawful or neutral evil TYPE: aberration TREASURE: 8 XP: 875+8 Lobotomizing Maw: A hyshkorrid who deals any damage with his maw can attempt on that combat round to make a precision lobotomy on its target. The target must make a Con Save at -2 to avoid the blow, taking the usual damage if they succeed. Failure means that the target’s head is in a vice-grip of the hyshkorrid’s tentacled mouth and he takes 1d6 Int damage as well. This damage is permanent! Mental Powers: All Hyshkorrid can cast the following spells at will as if they were 10th level wizards: charm person, sleep, detect thoughts, levitate, nondetection, suggestion, tongues, charm monster, confusion, feeblemind, telekinesis, telepathic bond. Mental Blast: A surge or psionic energy cripples the minds of all around the hyshkorrid in a 50 foot radius! The hyshkorrid may use this three times per day. Victims in range must make an Int Save or fall unconscious for 1d6 rounds. Habitat: The Hyshkorrid dwell in subterranean realms of the Under Realms, especially beneath the Slithotendan Mountains where their largest city, Zepharran, lies. Organization: Hyshkorrid often work alone, but they value the use of group activities as well. In their homelands beneath the mountains they can be found in cities of several hundred. Treasure: Yes, and lots of it. But Hyshkorrid value their treasure and set deadly traps to protect it. The terrifying squid-men of the Under Realms beneath Lingusia bear a passing resemblance to some hideous undersea creature after it has been merged with a hapless human. Squat and toad-like, walking on webbed feet and with long, slim claws, the squidheaded Hyshkorrid also bear a more than passing resemblance to the iconography depicting the ancient Krakens, the titanic prehuman gods from long ago that supposedly slumber beneath the earth. Whether there is a relationship between those ancient titans and the Hyshkorrid remains unknown. The secret empire of these evil beings can be found beneath the Slithotendan Mountains, where they have enslaved countless beings, especially kobolds, goblins and Darendur dwarves to do their bidding. The Hyshkorrid favor lobotomization, rendering their victims susceptible to suggestion. They love the taste of humanoid flesh and raise slaves as food crops as well. The Hyshkorrid are described in some ancient documents as visitors from beyond the sky, denizens of Etherspace, though which distant star they might have called home is unknown.

Sample Hyshkorrid: Xarvos the Dreaded (leader caste) HP 39; all stats standard for Hyshkorrid Treasure: A Ring of Trueseeing; a dagger +2 of sacrificing; A Mask of Disguise (when worn makes the wearer look like a humanoid of same general size and weight), and a pouch of 800 gold pieces. Xarvos is living in the sewers beneath the city of Malas, where he has enslaved several local Thargonid trolls to do his bidding. He is managing a crime syndicate which distributes the dread Blue Lotus to the desperate folk of war-torn Malas, as he hopes enough magically-induced hallucinogenic dreaming will create a portal to the Dreamlands of Ethenur, allowing him to pull monstrous entities through to do his bidding.

Kattachi

(Scorpion Men) # ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS:

4-8, 24-48 6 (D8) (warriors), 12 (queen) 30 ft 17 punch (1d3), trample (1d4), or tail sting (1d6+poison),

weapon (scimitar or long bow); Queen has special trample (4d6, see below) SPECIAL: venomous strike, heat and cold resistance, darkvision 60’ SAVES: P INT: average ALIGNMENT: neutral good or evil TYPE: monstrous humanoid TREASURE: 2, 6, (queen’s lair: 8) XP: 310+6; queen: 2,525+12 Venomous strike: Victims of a tail strike must make a Con Save at -2 or suffer 1d8 Str damage. Kattachi can use this strike once per day for every 3 hit dice they have. A captain, for example, could use it twice. Queen’s Trample: The queen of the Kattachi is a massive powerhouse of destruction when angered. She gets a special trample attack in which she rolls over any target in her way who fails a Dex Save to get out of the way, doing 4d6 points of damage to each target that round. Heat & cold resistant: Kattachi take half damage from heat and cold damage due to their protective carapace. Darkvision 60 ft: Kattachi are naturally attuned to the blackness of the Underworld. Habitats: Arid, subterranean realms. They have a strong presence in the Hyrkanian Deserts, near the ashtarth lands of Dahik, and often war with the dark elves. Both sides like to take slaves as they can. Organization: Loose clans under the rulership of a single queen; patrols average 2-6 Treasure: The soldiers wield pole arms and scimitars, and favor shields. They tend to wear lamellar upper-body armor for their human portion, but rely on their chitinous hide for protection. They have deep subterranean mines which extract precious metals and gems from the earth, and they love such baubles. Description: Kattachi scorpion men are a degenerate race created eons ago for the sadistic whim of Kathack, the repulsive demon god. Kathack is the immortal lord of insects, and in a spiteful conflict lost to time, he saw fit to impregnate human women with his own kin, and the birth result spawned (among other monstrosities) the Kattachi. Each Kattachi is a male or fe male who is fully capable of combat from a young age. They are trained early on and reach adulthood by the age of 10-12. Only one Kattachi may rise to the status of Queen in a given network, and if the Queen is killed, another Kattachi woman will metamorphose to take her place within a few weeks.

Kattachi have been cursed by their god with the need to breed with humans in order to continue their species, so most raids with the surface world are to secure breeding stock. They may also seize elves and other demi -humans, but the hybrid children of such unions are always degenerate or deformed in some manner. Still, there have been wan times when such was a necessity. Weapons and Armor: Kattachi prefer pole weapons, scimitars, and shields. They usually wear lamellar/curbolli armor. All Kattachi have natural chitinous armor, and a character with a talent for armor smithing and tanning could craft the chitin in to a non-metallic plate mail which weighs half as much as normal plate.

Knights of Chaos (Death Knights) # ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS: SPECIAL:

SAVES: INT: ALIGNMENT: TYPE: TREASURE:

1, 2-4 10 (d12) 30 ft (60 ft on undead horse) 19 by weapon (usually at least a longsword +1) or claws (1d6) wounding, terrifying presence, deathly conversion, fireball, immunity to fire P, M superior chaotic evil undead 9

XP: 3,000+12 Wounding: The Knight of Chaos is a vicious foe infused with infernal energy, and his wounds continue to bleed for unnaturally long periods. Every wound a victim takes from a Knight of Chaos continues to deal 1 extra point of damage until the target receives magical healing. A wounded foe can also attempt an Int Save at –1 per wound received to staunch the flow and stop the bleeding, though this will take him out of combat, requiring a minute to perform. Terrifying Presence: The first time anyone confronts a Knight of Chaos in its true form, they must make a Save vs. Fear or flee in terror. They keep running until they make a save successfully. Fireball: Once per day the Knight of Chaos becomes a conduit for the flames of the Abyss, and ignites a fireball as per a 10th level wizard (10d6 damage). Immunity to Fire: Knights of Chaos take no damage from flame and heat. Habitat: Knights of Chaos work in secrecy, though an entire company of these undead can be found in he defense of the infernal city Trog, and many still walk openly on the streets of Blackholm as part of the dark queen’s Terror Guard. Organization: The Knights of Chaos follow an erratic and ever-changing pattern of “evil chivalry” in which they must torture the innocent, perform evil deeds, further chaos, and barely (at best) tolerate one another for the greater evil. As such, they usually operate alone, since two death knights in the same area inevitably try to assassinate one another. Exceptions include those who are in thrall to a greater evil (such as Blackholm’s Terror Guard or Trog’s company). Treasure: The Knights of Chaos crave treasure, as part of their credo of greed. Aside from having a horde stashed away, they usually have elaborate blackened plate armor, often enchanted with their favorite weapon (permanently enchanted to triple dice damage, usually). Description: The Knights of Chaos (also called death knights) are a rare and horrifying form of undead, spawned from the incarnation of a truly evil Black Rider. Usually, the knight was dedicated to a chaotic order, such as the Black Riders of Slithotep, or the Order of Set. It is also known that a knight dedicated to a just or good order who succumbs to supreme corruption might be swayed into the domain of evil. Such knights are forbidden to walk the path of the Final Night (a euphemism for the journey the dead make to the afterlife), leading them into the Land of the Dead, for their souls have been claimed by Chaos, but in defiance of their true masters in the Abyss, the pure strength of their post mortem incarnations are capable of fending off the petitioners of the Abyss.

Trapped, then forever in the twilight of death, these troubled spirits seek to reclaim their bodies and continue their dark arts and pursuits. The longer such beings continue to exist as undead beings, and the more evil they are, the stronger the knights become. Only a few are known to have manifested in the last few centuries, including the dissident spirit of Darkseid, a legendary Knight of the Black Riders who served as a general in the armies of Xauraun during the 2000's. Another dark knight to manifest was a highly malevolent and extremely evil entity known only as the Nameless One, ruling the chaos ruins of Clastus in Hyrkania.

The Troll Queen Invidia in the ancient, evil city of Hoggoth

Mihidir Trolls Mihidir have the statistics of normal trolls (see M&T) but their Intelligence is: Superior Special Abilities: All mihidir have a talent for trapmaking and bargaining. When engaged in either activity they receive a +2 bonus to the relevant activity. Habitat: The Under Realms are their playpen. The mihidir faction beneath the human city of Lancaster are an exception, as they have a grudge against what they see as human occupiers in troll-owned mountains. Organization: Loose mafia-like guilds, of one chief don who dominates a few dozen flunkies. Treasure: Oh you bet they love treasure, and they love to make it positively impossible for anyone, sometimes even themselves, to get. Still, a lucky delver could probably pull about 2d6X50 GP off a mihidir corpse, if he pulls out the gold teeth, too. Description: Devious creatures, the Mihidir are some of the rarest troll-kin in Lingusia. They are more human than their counterparts (see the Thargonid and Agammites), having in fact cross-bred with dark elves and men long ago. As a species they now

remain pure, by social pact refusing to taint their bloodstream any further. Unlike their other kin, the Mihidir have a fairly normal humanoid appearance, and except for their relative hairlessness can readily be mistaken for handsome ogres. Mihidir stand about 6 ½ to 7 feet in height, a few reaching 8 feet. They have elvish ears of a sort, and the black opal eyes of the elves. Most are dark of skin, but some are albino. They still have the powerful rending claws, and some retain the odd, glistening skin riddled with popping veins and tubular growths of the pureblood Thargonid, but it is muted, more human in the Mihidir. Mihidir as a species dwell in the Under Realms, usually seeking to exploit their fellow humanoids in any way possible. They have developed a deviant mercantile society, and are dominant forces in such underworld realms as the Cavern-City of Bargan, and in the warrens beneath the human city of Lancaster in Octzel. They are excellent architects, thieves, trapmakers and schemers. The mihidir like to be the one behind the action, pushing the buttons. It seems to be a deviant trait they all share. Mihidir forge guilds in the Under Realms, and through these guilds they fight turf wars over their subterranean plots. Often, delvers in the under realms will cross paths with gangs of orcs, goblins and other beings fighting it out, but not really sure why, as they have all been manipulated in to battle due to some scheme perpetrated by competing mihidir. The mihidir hate Hyshkorrid, who they see as direct competitors. They dislike ashtarth, as the ashtarth have magics that they like to use to gain control of the mihidir and use as thralls. Some mihidir are not inherently evil, but merely unscrupulous. Such trolls can be made in to nebulous (part time) allies of prospective delvers looking for some assistance in the caverns of the Under Realm, though any adventurer with an ounce of brains should know never to turn his back on a mihidir.

Succubi (Devonin) # ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS:

1 (solitary), 1-4 6 (D8) 30 ft, 60 ft flying 16 two claws (1d4) and bite (1d8 plus special) or by weapon (whip) SPECIAL: soul drain, charm, devonin qualities, shapeshift SAVES: P, M INT: superior ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil TYPE: outsider TREASURE: 8 XP: 990+6 Soul drain: Succubi who make a physical attack, bite, or kiss a target may drain 1d6 Int from the victim immediately. Charmed victims do not even realize this is happening unless they make a Wisdom Save to snap free of the spell. Charm: Succubi may cast the charm monster and charm person effects at will. Devonin Qualities: Succubi have all of the special qualities of the greater warrior devonin (see entry earlier). This includes: Darkvision 60 feet, spell resistance 9, Immunity to fire and acid, infernal

damage, planar gating, special movement (flight), resistance to physical, non-magical attacks (takes half damage), and level 6 wizard casting ability. Shape shift: succubi can appear as beautiful women (or men, as incubi) or revert to their more terrifying demonic form with wings, claws, tails and hooves at will. Habitat: Succubi are Abyssal denizens, but they are often summoned to the mortal plane, and are the most reluctant to return, finding ways to stay and wreak havoc. Organization: The succubus is a solitary beast, who prefers to align herself with those she can ensorcel, though she will take a fancy to powerful wizards and other beings able to resist her magical charms. Treasure: Succubi love treasure, wealth, and all the things that go with greed, lust and envy. They usually have a horde somewhere and sundry valuables on their person totaling 2d6x100 GP in value. Description: Succubi are versatile social climbers within the devonin hierarchy, and are found at all levels. The male counterpart is the Incubi, and they are the humanoid, bat winged harbingers of lust and envy, as well as other plagues of the heart. Both succubi and incubi appear as startlingly attractive men and women who can materialize wings. In fact, the wings are always there, they just remain hidden from sight any spell which can penetrate illusions will reveal their true images as bat-winged, clawed, hooved and tailed monstrosities. Succubi are eternal schemers, and several famous ones have wandered the lands of Lingusia, manipulating their villainous cohorts in to great acts of evil. They thrive on destruction, and a succubus who goes for a week or more without committing an act of pain or deceit will start to lose 1 Str a day until she is too weak to do anything but collapse in to a torpor. Such a state is reversed when she senses an act of cruelty or deceit within one mile of her presence. It is rare for this to happen, but a succubus stuck on a deserted island is known to suffer greatly.

Thargonid Trolls Thargonid trolls share the standard statistics of the common troll in M&T. Habitat: The thargonid trolls once ruled a terrible empire in the Thargonid Mountains, but thanks to Empress Phyxillus Usyllyses they are scattered throughout the lands of Hyrkania and beyond. Organization: Small groups, working in secret to restore the glory of their lost empire. Treasure: Usually 3d6x20 GP in valuables on the leader, and about half that spread among his followers. Description: The Thargonid Trolls are hulking brutes, massive beasts that look like they are made of spongy material held together by sap and ichors, with roots and tubular growth sprouting across their bodies. They vary in overall form and shape, but all are equally hideous to behold. Imagine for a moment if H.R. Giger had illustrated “The Hobbit,” and you know where I’m going here. Thargonids take their name from a legendary creator, a Prehunate wizard named Thargon who supposedly created their species thousands of years ago. It is said that trolls were devised to be his thralls, a vast army for him to play war games with. When the Prehunate Empire was annihilated, the thargonids were left as little more than beasts in the wild, who spent centuries in primitive, barbaric communities until they began to form a new civilization, based on their roots of warfare. Early man, of the Fertile Kingdoms, fought the Thargonids and drove them to extinction, but thousands of years later the secrets of their existence were rekindled by the Champion of Chaos, Xauraum Vestillios. He brought them forth as

a great army out of the Under Realms and though he was eventually defeated, they were able to found the city of Hoggoth in the mountain range that would eventually be named after them. Eventually, in a great crusade, the elvish-empress Phyxillus Usyllyses, daughter of the human king of Hyrkania, led a great war to expunge the trolls from their mountain kingdom. Led by the troll-queen Invidia, greatest of their kind, the crusade was fought to a standstill in the very streets and tunnels of Hoggoth, where the troll queen, rather than accept defeat, cast a powerful spell that froze both armies in chronomantic crystals, locked forever in the throes of combat. Centuries later, the woman named Mellisana, avatar of Phonatas, the goddess of love, lead a troop of adventurers to the haunted city and found the means to free Phyxillys and defeat the troll queen, that the Empress could stand against new, more terrible foes to the Empire. In turn, the thargonids were scattered to the four winds, though many have gone to join the armies of chaos amassing at the evil city of Trog.

Tryskas

(Devonin) # ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS: SPECIAL:

1 12 (D10) 10 ft 15 4+1d6 tentacles (1d8), bite (3d6) grapple, immunity to fire and cold, resistance (weapons), darkvision 120 feet, planar travel P low chaotic evil outsider 5

SAVES: INT: ALIGNMENT: TYPE: TREASURE: XP: Grapple: If the Tryskas lands a tentacle attack successfully, it may try to grapple a foe with a limb (it has 4+1d6 limbs). The foe must make a Dex Save to slip free or a Str Save at – 2 to break away. If either or both are failed, on the next combat round it drags the foe over to its maw to deal full biting damage (3d6). The foe may continue to try and escape each round, if he lives after the first mauling. Immunity: Like many devonin, the Tryskas is completely immune to fire and cold damage. Resistance (weapons): Tryskas are very tough and take half damage from all nonmagical weapons.

Darkvision 120 feet: Tryskas operate well in total darkness and have unnaturally wide range of vision in lightless regions. Planar Travel: Like all devonin, tryskas can gate to the Abyss at will. They use this spell in the Abyss like a teleport, in fact. Habitat: The abyssal realms are the sole habitat of this beast. It has never (so far as anyone knows) been seen outside of the Abyss. Organization: These are solitary creatures, doomed to a mundane task as living bridges in the Abyssal Kingdoms, a dead-end worker’s job. They love eating those who try and pass over them. Treasure: None, usually, except what gets stuck in their gullet. Description: The Tryskas are gate and bridge guardians of the Abyss, many limbed demons with equal skill with all limbs. Usually star-fish shaped, they are amorphous at the core with wide, toothy maws. Each appendage is a rope-like tentacle with a three-fingered grasping claw at the end that tries to snag foes to drag to the maw at the center for devouring. Tryskas have the unique ability to stretch their huge bodies out in to rigid lengths, allowing the devonin of the Abyss to pass over the numerous clefts and lava-filled canyons of the planar realm. When in these rigid states, a casual observer needs to make a Level 1 SR vs. Int or Lk to notice that the Tryskas is, in fact a living being and not a strange bridge made out of some form of chalky grey rock. A Tryskas can always sense when non-devonin are crossing it’s expanse, and will always begin an assault with all but to of its immense limbs (those two limbs keeping it suspended, of course). It’s maw is usually on its underside when so suspended. On rare occasions a Tryskas will let loose one side of a gap or another and take pursuit, moving with an incredible swiftness on its many loping tentacles. The Tryskas are unwaveringly loyal to their Demon Lord. They belong to the first layer of the hierarchy (serflings), and none have ever advanced to the second layer.

Velboshia-Lok Nodivia (Guardians of the Old Kings) # ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS: SPECIAL: SAVES:

2-4 8 (D12) 30 ft 20 claws (1d8); greatsword (2d6) or eyes by effect Eye attacks, all around vision, darkvision P, M

INT: average ALIGNMENT: any evil, neutral or chaotic TYPE: undead TREASURE: 7 XP: 1,175+8 Eye Beams: Each of the being’s eye beams radiate deadly magical attacks. On any given combat round the Velboshia can make an attack and use one of its eye beams randomly. If it does not attack, it uses 1d4 of its eye beams all at once. The attacks are (roll 1d4): 1: 1st eye casts Transmute Flesh and Stone; 2: 2nd eye casts Feeblemind; 3: 3rd eye casts Fireball at 7th level (7D6 damage); 4: 4th eye casts Disintegrate. Undead: Immune to mind-affecting magic, and no vital spots!). All around vision: eye-stalks provide full field of vision in all directions. Likewise, they have darkvision for 60 feet. Habitats: The Slithotendan Mountains, the Ruins of Hoggoth, and Old Galon are popular places to find these rare and dangerous guardians. Organization: none; 2-4 usually found in task of guarding tomb Treasure: As tomb guardians, they are usually armed with enchanted or ancient weapons of fine craftsmanship. Some are armored in plate mail, or carry shields, but their “heads” cannot bear a helm of any sort. Description: Ancient guardians of the Tombs of the Gods, these desiccated corpses were once the proud Temple Guards of the Divine Palaces in the mythic city Corti’Zahn. When the War of the Gods destroyed the early Fertile Empires of Hyrkania and laid low the mortal forms of the divine lords, the temple guardians who died in the conflict against the demons were mummified and submitted to a terrible necromantic process to revive them as eternal tomb protectors. Something horrible corrupted the spells of reanimation, however, seeping in from the Chaos Energy which permeated the land in the wake of the war, and grew like a fungus in the bodies of these undead guardians. The bodies became covered in a moss-like green substance, which tinged their skeletal forms, ate the mummified flesh, and devoured the skull-caps of the bodies, from which then extruded four tendril-like appendages, each with a hideous blinking, sickly eye attached at the end. Many of these corrupted tomb guardians remained eternal guardians, but some were freed for reasons most suspicious, and certain Necromancers found them useful for guarding other things, as well. However, the geas of duty upon the Velboshia-Lok Nodivia is so strong that, the moment the necromantic control slips over them, they will immediately seek to return to a tomb and continue guarding (a different tomb, if they must!)

Vessilante # ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS: SPECIAL:

2-24 7 (D12) 30 ft 15 claws (1d6) or by weapon magic, possession, telepathy, darkvision 60 ft, levitation SAVES: P, M INT: superior ALIGNMENT: neutral evil TYPE: undead (outsider) TREASURE: 8 XP: 810+7 Possession: the target of this ability suffers the immediate effects of domination by the vessilante. If the target fails a Save vs. Int, he becomes the unwilling puppet of the creature and may attempt another save to break free every turn. The possession allows the vessilante total physical (but not mental) control over the subject. Telepathy: may detect thoughts as per the spell at will. Levivate: The vessilante has the ability to levitate at will. Darkvision 60 ft: Vessilante can see in total darkness (as most nasty things from the depths can). Habitat: Vessilante are often found in the service of chaos mages and necromancers, but insane vessilante roam the land, and have sometimes struggled to carve a niche for themselves in the world if they escape the bonds of their creator.

Organization: Usually solitary beings, vessilante rarely seek out the company of others of their kind. Treasure: Vessilante are privy to dark secrets and magics, and often acquire powerful artifacts from hidden domains throughout the world with which to serve themselves and their master, if any. They almost always have an enchanted weapon (usually with triple -dice damage enchantments). Description: The Vessilante are a rare sort of entity which is created magically through the bonding of a corrupted Devonin or Seraph in the form of a mortal human. These great monstrosities are usually culled from freshly dead corpses, often pieced together if there was damage to the original body. The process of habitation heals the damage and changes the nature of the body such that it must shun the light or suffer excruciating pain. They therefore usually wrap themselves in heavy garments when walking beneath the sun. The Vessilante never sleep, and they hold a special bond to their creator. Usually, the fallen spirit is drawn from one of the little -known domains of their lands, purgatories for the failed spirits of their otherworld domains who would find this sort of entrapment in the material world preferable to the tortures inflicted upon them by their kin, but that is not always the case, and if a free spirit is trapped, it can go insane and the creator may lose control. Vessilante sometimes retain some of their old sorcery, but are always gifted with a limited power of telepathy and possession, as well as magnanimous fighting talents and levitation. Their loyalty to their creator make them excellent guardians, and their immortality makes them everlasting.

Vyrkasha Wolfen # ENC.: HD: MOVE: AC: ATTACKS:

2-4, 8-64 2 (D8) 40 ft 13 bite (1d4) or by weapon

SPECIAL:

twilight vision, enhanced hearing and smell, shapeshifting SAVES: P INT: average ALIGNMENT: usually neutral TYPE: shapechanger (humanoid) TREASURE: 1 XP: 27+2 Twilight Vision: Wolfen see exceptionally well under starlight and darkness with some minor light source (moon, torch, etc.). Scent: Vyrkasha receive the scent ability (see M&T). This may stack with tracking modifiers for Wolfen rangers. Shapeshifting: Vyrkasha can spend one combat round transforming in to a humanoid wolfen or a full blood wolf. As a wolf they gain all of the creature’s special attacks and abilities, but retain hit points, hit bonuses, and other qualities of the base creature. Wolfen Player Characters: Wolfen may be chosen as player characters. They receive the base hit dice of their chosen class, but gain the twilight vision, scent, and shapeshifting abilities described above. In addition, they receive +1 to Str and Dex, and –1 to Int and Cha. Typical classes include barbarians, rangers, rogues and clerics. Rangers get the +2 scent modifier as a bonus to tracking. They are medium creatures and get to choose from the following languages: common, gnome, goblinoid, orcish, gnollish, elvish. Habitat: The vast untracked Northern Wilderness Organization: Tribal packs of 40 to 100 members Treasure: The vyrkasha are simple folk and favor primitive weapons and barter. They like gold and jewels for ornamentation but are poor metal smiths. The Vyrkasha Wolfen inhabit the Northern Wilderness, a nearly impenetrable region of unkempt woodland that no civilization has tamed in ten thousand years. To the south, along the coast are various Hyrkanian and Octzellan colonies, working to harvest natural resources and operate mines, while to the north are the jarldoms of Autrengard, a community of barbarian kingdoms. Nestled in between are thousands of miles of woodland and mountains where the Vyrkasha rule.

The land is awash with the primal forces of nature, and in the midst of this many races, including the Dock-Alfar, Gnolls, and Vyrkashans stand out. The Vyrkashans are dealt with on suspicious terms by humans, and are seen as natural spirits of the forests by those Autrengard, to be respected and fairly dealt with. Vyrkashans are a menacing people to all foreigners. Vyrkashans are what some might consider natural lycanthropes, but they are in fact shape shifters, from a tribe of men and wolves that ten thousand years ago harnessed primitive magics to bring the two together, into a primal mixture of beast and man. Their natural form is that of a humanoid wolf, but some can even alter their forms to the extent of passing for a normal human; most are too shaggy to be mistaken for anything but barbarians. They can also shape shift at will (taking about twenty seconds to do so) into pure wolves. This magical heritage is shared by the whole species. Vyrkashans have night vision, in which they can see fine under moonlight. They have keen hearing, allowing them to detect noises and locations with uncanny accuracy. They have a keen smell as well, and are used to harsh northern climates. All Vyrkashan know their own language and the language of wolves. Wolfen are most often found as warriors and rogues, with no wizards among their kind (though a few specialist healers as shamans to the beast-god Wolfon can be found, and an occasional ranger dedicated to the huntsman’s god Zingar). Vyrkasha have guttural, feral-sounding names. Players who pick a vyrkashan character should choose two names, the first being the true name as it sounds to non-vyrkashan (Fhegrol, Nero, Luchas, etc.) and the second name being what it actually means (Goatkiller, Orchunter, etc.). Wolfen name themselves after deeds, and the names of children are discarded when they become adults by proof of the action which names them. Examples include: Slayer of Fargnolls, Blood Drinker, Pig Killer, and Master of Carving.